Device for applying massage



July 4, 1950 M. A. AMER DEVICE FOR APPLYING MASSAGE Filed Jan. 20, 1948 INVENTOR. fYy/ZZe A. Ame/ BY ATTORNEY- Patented July 4, 1950 UNITED STAT ES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.- 1

This invention relates to devices for applying massage to the human skin and particularly to such devices designed to massage lotions into the skin as for instance into the scalp. The device will be hereinafter referred to as an applicator for the sake of brevity.

It is an object of the invention to provide an applicator adapted for manual operation or to be operated by a machine. thereby reducing the number of pieces of equipment required to be maintained for instance by a specialist in hair treatments.

Another object of the invention is to provide an applicator arranged so that a controlled amount of lotion may be fed to and worked into the'skin if preferred, or the applicator may be used to administer dry massage treatment.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an applicator producing a simultaneous kneading and suction effect on the skin thus stimulating the circulation of blood therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide an applicator arranged so that it may be readily taken apart for cleaning or replacement of parts.

Still other objects and features of the invention will hereinafter appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention but it is to be understood that various changes in and modification of the described embodiment may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as intended to be defined by the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section of an applicator constructed according to the invention. In the upper portion of this view is shown a substitute closure member which may be coupled to a mechanical vibrator.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section drawn to a larger scale illustrating a modified form of connection between a bottom wall of the device and the body portion.

In Fig. 1 the numeral l generally indicates the applicator which is preferably formed so as to be readily held in the palm of the operator, who may be a person applying the device to his own scalp or that of another person. It is to be understood that while the device is particularly designed for scalp treatment it is equally useful in applying localized massage as for instance to strained or fatigued muscles. It should be further understood that the device may be attached to a vibrator of any suitable type such as is widely used, by means of the incorporation of parts later described and indicated at A.

The hand of an operator is indicated in dotted lines so as not to obscure the drawing.

The applicator comprises a body portion I! which may be formed of fairly resilient oil resistant synthetic rubber. The body is hollow and cuplike being furnished with a removable closure member [4 for the introduction and retension of lotion or liquid medicament usually carried in the body member.

When it is desired to use a mechanical vibrator with the applicator the closure member It may be replaced by one of the form indicated at A having a screw threaded outer end portion B onto which may be screwed any appropriate coupling C for connection to the vibrator.

The body member If] is closed by a bottom wall 16 of material preferably less resilient than that of the body member such as synthetic oil resistant rubber vulcanized to greater hardness than the body member.

In Fig. 1 the wall [6 is secured by means of a ring 20 of rigid material such as plastic or aluminum bonded to the inside of the periphery of the body member. The ring 20 is formed at 22 to provide a retaining groove adapted to receive and securely grip a bead 24 molded around the periphery of the wall "5. Preferably the periphery of the wall I6 is formed to also provide a peripheral flange 26 which will be drawn close against the lower edge of ring 20. However arranged, the connection of the wall IE to the body portion is designed to provide a liquid tight joint.

A plurality of fingers 28 are arranged to project downwardly from the wall I6. Preferably the fingers are molded from the same material as the wall and are somewhat resilient. The fingers are provided with bores 30 extending into communication with the liquid, preferably of such small diameter that liquid combined in the body will not run out by gravity but will be exuded when pressure is applied to the deformable body.

It is pointed out that owing to the rigidity of the ring 29 it is possible for an operator, by grasping the sides of the body, to move the device under pressure to exert a massaging effect on the skin and to feed any desired amount of liquid to the area being massaged by applying pressure to the deformable areas of the body of the applicator.

It will be observed that the device, shown underlying the human hand in Fig. 1, is of a plano- 3 convex shape, there bein provided, above its fiat side a dome shaped part dimensioned to be grasped within the hand in such a manner as to i have the liquid forced out from it by lateral as well as downward pressure against its deformable portion, thus enabling the operator more efiiciently to expel the contained liquid through the aforesaid massaging fingers 28.

To increase the effectiveness of the massaging effect of the fingers the tips thereof are circularly recessed to form cups 32 centrally into whichthe bores 30 open.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig.3

the ring around the periphery of the body, comprises a first threaded ring 34 secured in any suitable way to the body It], and a secondthreaded ring 36 is secured in any suitable way to zl he periphery of the wall IS. The ring 36 is provided with a peripheral flange 33 which when ring 36 is screwed into -ring 34 is drawn tightly 4 riphery of the open side of said hollow body; a wall extending across the open side of said hollow body and having a periphery shaped to removably engage with a co -operating portion of said ring, said wall and hollow body providin a chamber adapted to contain a fluid; and fingers projecting downwardly from said wall and provided with fine bores extending from the lower ends of said fingers into communication with the hollow body and effective by manipulation of the operator to administer massage treatment to the h,uman skin and to eject fluid as required through "said fingers when pressure is applied by the operyatorytmsaid hollow body.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 and in which the-said recited ring is internally screwthreaded,

=and a second ring is screwed thereinto and in turn is secured to the peripheral portion of said wall.

MYRTLE A. AMER.

wan-En ances CITED The following references are of record in the file of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date "768,710 Vanderman Aug.;30,;:1'9Q4 -827,376 -Knickerbocker Ju1y 31, -1;906

1,191,578 Englund July 18, 916

11,2 1, a ay-2 1,334,911 Lampkin Mar.-- 23,; 920 1,595,324 Van-Saint A11g;, 10,;1926

1,951,776 Shelton Mar. '2,0, ;1934 

